This invention relates to apparatus for supporting a pipe.
In the construction trade it often is necessary to provide convenient and effective supports for pipes. For example, in residential construction, lengths of pipe will be extended in runs that need support by adjacent joists, beams, columns, or walls.
Various types of supports have been devised in the past, but none have been fully satisfactory, in that they seldom have been adapted to operate conveniently with a variety of materials which would be on-site in such a project. As one example, when a plumber is installing pipe in a residential situation, often the pipe being installed is ABS or PVC pipe and there are sufficient quantities of such pipe available for use as supports for other pipes.
In the past, various hangers have been used where the worker has had to find a scrap piece of material, such as a length of board, to be nailed between joists to provide a horizontal support, or to nail in a position depending downwardly for a vertical support and then attach some form of connector thereto. In other instances, devices have been devised which are not only complex, but also are expensive and inconvenient to manufacture and use, due to the higher number of component parts.
Recent hangers have reduced the number of component parts. These hangers may involve a fixed strap at the end of an elongate structure, which structure is nailed in place. Although these hangers overcome some of the complexity issues present in previous hangers, these hangers are difficult to use and do not accommodate a variety of job-site conditions. These hangers use straps that are attached at their ends by adjacent latching mechanisms. This configuration makes adjustment difficult and limits their use. Difficulties arise in situations where the only available support is an overhead flat surface, such as a ceiling or wide joist or in other situations where there is little space between the adjustment and the support. In order to adjust the length of the strap, a worker must fit his hand into the tight space to adjust the strap. Thus, the configuration of these hangers can make them difficult to adjust or release. Additionally, these hangers are not well suited to utilizing other pipes as support, as is often practical or necessary in construction projects.
One aspect of the disclosure is to provide an apparatus for quickly, securely, and releasably mounting pipes allowing a maximum of mounting possibilities while utilizing a minimum number of part types.
A further aspect of the disclosure is to provide an apparatus that is conveniently adjusted, even in tight spaces, while allowing for support of a wide variety of pipes.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide support apparatus for pipe which may be used in conjunction with sections of pipe available at the work site for connecting to a variety of support structures.
Yet another aspect of the disclosure is to provide an apparatus for utilizing readily available and easily manufacturable parts.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide apparatus adapted to support a pipe which has opposed arcuate flexible gripping arms which, together, form an arc of a circle greater than a semi-circle with a first opening smaller than the diameter of the pipe to be supported therein, which allows the pipe to be inserted and gripped therebetween.
A further aspect of the disclosure is to provide such novel apparatus for supporting a pipe in which a holding clamp having a pair of opposed, laterally spaced holding arms, is adapted to fit around the outside of the gripping arms and having an opening between outer ends of the holding arms smaller than the diameter of the pipe, such that the holding clamp is adapted to fit over the outside of the gripping arms, cover the opening between the outer ends of the gripping arms, and squeeze the gripping arms into engagement with the pipe.
A still further aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such apparatus, a second pair of arcuate flexible gripping arms coupled to the first pair of gripping arms in a region spaced from the first opening, with the second pair of gripping arms being directed away from the first opening and having a second opening between the outer ends of the second gripping arms adapted to connect to a support adjacent the pipe to be supported.
Yet another aspect of the disclosure is the provision of a second holding clamp adapted to fit around the outside of the gripping arms of the second pair of gripping arms and having an opening between one set of ends thereof, with the second holding clamp adapted to fit over the outside of the second gripping arms, cover the second opening, and squeeze the second pair of gripping arms toward each other.
Still another aspect of the disclosure is to provide apparatus for supporting a pipe which includes a base member coupled to an elongate flexible strap having opposed first and second ends with ratchet teeth formed along one side of the strap and being secured to the base member.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide a latching mechanism on the strap adjacent the first end, through which the second end and a portion of the strap may move longitudinally along a path.
A further aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such an apparatus, a latching mechanism that includes a pawl adjacent one side of the path yieldably biased toward the path to engage ratchet teeth on the strap to permit movement of the strap in one direction along the path and to inhibit movement in a direction opposite the one direction and a bearing member at the opposite side of the path to support a side of the strap opposite said one side against movement away from the pawl when the pawl engages the strap to hold the strap in a selected position.
A still further aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such apparatus, a strap secured to the base member in a region intermediate said first and second ends of the strap.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such apparatus, a base member that has opposed side margins that diverge from each other as they progress away from the strap.
Still another aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such apparatus an optionally connectable supplementary connector adapted to be secured to a stationary object, the supplementary connector having an opening formed therein having a cross-sectional configuration complementary to the configuration of the base member to receive and hold the base member therein.
Yet another aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such apparatus, a base member that has a surface facing away from the strap and the surface has a first concave configuration along an axis that is substantially parallel to a plane occupied by the strap.
A further aspect of the disclosure is to provide, in such a novel apparatus, a base member wherein the surface has a second concave configuration with an axis disposed at a substantial angle relative to the axis of the first concave configuration.